From 5b63d0ae94ccfd64dcbdb693d88eb3650eb3c64c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Marco Elver Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:40:12 +0100 Subject: compiler-context-analysis: Remove Sparse support Remove Sparse support as discussed at [1]. The kernel codebase is still scattered with numerous places that try to appease Sparse's context tracking ("annotation for sparse", "fake out sparse", "work around sparse", etc.). Eventually, as more subsystems enable Clang's context analysis, these places will show up and need adjustment or removal of the workarounds altogether. Signed-off-by: Marco Elver Signed-off-by: Peter Zijlstra (Intel) Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/20250207083335.GW7145@noisy.programming.kicks-ass.net/ [1] Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/Z6XTKTo_LMj9KmbY@elver.google.com/ [2] Link: https://patch.msgid.link/20251219154418.3592607-24-elver@google.com --- Documentation/dev-tools/sparse.rst | 19 ------------------- 1 file changed, 19 deletions(-) (limited to 'Documentation/dev-tools/sparse.rst') diff --git a/Documentation/dev-tools/sparse.rst b/Documentation/dev-tools/sparse.rst index dc791c8d84d1..37b20170835d 100644 --- a/Documentation/dev-tools/sparse.rst +++ b/Documentation/dev-tools/sparse.rst @@ -53,25 +53,6 @@ sure that bitwise types don't get mixed up (little-endian vs big-endian vs cpu-endian vs whatever), and there the constant "0" really _is_ special. -Using sparse for lock checking ------------------------------- - -The following macros are undefined for gcc and defined during a sparse -run to use the "context" tracking feature of sparse, applied to -locking. These annotations tell sparse when a lock is held, with -regard to the annotated function's entry and exit. - -__must_hold - The specified lock is held on function entry and exit. - -__acquires - The specified lock is held on function exit, but not entry. - -__releases - The specified lock is held on function entry, but not exit. - -If the function enters and exits without the lock held, acquiring and -releasing the lock inside the function in a balanced way, no -annotation is needed. The three annotations above are for cases where -sparse would otherwise report a context imbalance. - Getting sparse -------------- -- cgit v1.2.3